Workers of the cash-strapped Ditsobotla Municipality have endured prolonged periods without pay due to ongoing instability. For months, some employees have gone two or three months without receiving any compensation, prompting Samwu provincial secretary Vincent Diphoko to express deep concern.

The ailing municipality, based in Lichtenburg, has also been embroiled in intense political infighting. The battle for the mayoral position between two ANC leaders has created further instability, leaving workers uncertain about their future.

Diphoko said this political dysfunction has not only affected municipal employees but has also contributed to a volatile and unsafe working environment. Violence within the municipality has already left at least two people injured.

“This is not the first time the municipality has descended into such disarray, and tragically, it is always the workers who bear the brunt of the violence and instability,” he said.

“As Samwu, we demand immediate accountability for those responsible and call for urgent measures to ensure the safety and security of municipal employees.”

The situation has resulted in a bizarre and chaotic scenario where two mayors, two speakers, and two municipal managers are simultaneously reporting for duty. This, said Diphoko, only exacerbates the severe political dysfunction plaguing Ditsobotla.

“This is a farcical situation that has created an environment of lawlessness, where violence and anarchy thrive, and workers are left vulnerable,” he added.

He further stated that the municipal workers union wishes councillors would redirect the same energy they use for political battles toward addressing the pressing challenges that Ditsobotla faces daily.

Ditsobotla deserve leaders

“Imagine what could be achieved if their focus shifted from political infighting to tackling service delivery backlogs, improving infrastructure, and uplifting the lives of the residents who depend on them. The people of Ditsobotla deserve leaders who fight for them, not against each other,” said Diphoko.

Samwu has since written to the minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the premier of North West, calling for immediate intervention.

OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi cg